Building material



ug. 16, 1932. R. w. B. READE BUILDING MATERIAL Filed Deo. 2, 1930 13kgl A .IIB

I (15/ Q4 \l2 f Il@ l [NI/ENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 41932 rUNITED STATI-:s PATENT ori-lcs RALPH W. B". READ'E, OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE PATENT AND LICENSING CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS BUILDING MATERIAL Application led December This invention relates to a composition building material, and has especial reference tomaterial of this nature to be used as siding and to a new method of covering a side wall of a building.

Heretofore so-called shingle strips varying in length from thirty to forty or more inches, have been used for this purpose, such strips being composed of a felted foundation saturated with a waterproofing compound, such as 'asphalt or other bitumen, and coated on one or both sides, with a high melting point blown asphalt which is surfaced with granular particles that are/partially imbedded therein.

One form of shingle'strip employed for this purpose is a square butt strip shingle comprising a body that has at one end a plurality of tabs or projections spaced from each other by means of slots or recesses. The strips are surfaced so that when they are laid in successive overlapping courses, they will simulate a brick j wall with the'A usual mortar joints. In order to provide a close simulation of a brick wall structure, it is essential that the width of the mortar joint simulations be substantially uniform and that the mortar joint simulations extend in straight parallel lines. A further requisite of ,a brick simulating side wall is 'that the the flexible and pliable nature of the matev rial, it is very diiiicult for the applicator to hold the strip in the proper horizontal position during the nailing operation, so that after he has driven the nails home, the lower edge of the nailed strip will be in-therequired position in relation to the immediately preceding course, as is necessary in order tof ished siding;

obtain an accurate horizontal and uniform 2, 1930. Serial No. 499,477.

mortar joint between the brick simulating tabs. It has been proposed to use mechanical appliances to retain the strips in position during the nailing operation, so as to ensure proper vertical spacing and horizontal positioning of the strips. Thislscheme, however, has not been entirely satisfactory because. of the time required-in moving the appliance from one position to. another.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a siding strip designed to overcome the difficulties hereinabove referred to. According to the invention, I emplo indicating and arranging means on the strip to facilitate its being laid on the side walls of the building. The strips constructed in accordance with the invention may be applied and nailed to the side walls with rapidity and accuracy and ease.

When the shingle 4strips embodying my invention are used to cover the side walls of the building, the first course is laid in the usual manner. Subsequently, a strip which is to form a part of the second course, is laid with its major axis in a substantially vertical position, pivoted at a predetermined place andswung about this pivot asl an axis until it is in the desired horizontal position, and is then fastened at any suitable point. These shingles have indicating means thereon, affording a marked strip which can be produced with no appreciableadded expense, and allow a novel method of application that is simple,

expeditious and foolproof.

With the aforementioned objects in view,

-this invention' consists generally in a siding strip having indicating means thereon and a new method of applying the same, as will be fully described and illustrated in the following specification and drawing: In lthe drawing,

.Figure 1 is a plan view of a shingle strip embodying my invention;

Figure 2 represents a plan view showing the manner of manipulating the strips according to my novel method of applying them to the side wall.

Figure 3 shows in The strip, generally indicated the referplanl a section of the inence number 10, is substantially rectangular, with upper, lower and side edges, 11, 12 and 13 respectively. Ext-ending transversely of the strip and through the edge 13 are a 'series of spaced, equi-length slots 14', providing a plurality of projections or tabs 15, with the upper edges 16 of the slots 14 defining the exposed limit of the strip. As hereinbefore stated, it will be understood that these strips are preferably formed from a felted sheet saturated with a waterproofing compound, such as asphalt or similar bitumen, and coated on one or both sides, with a high melting point blown asphalt in which is partially ernbedded granular material.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the area. of the tabs extending from the butt edge of the strip to a distance slightly below the tops of the slots, is surfaced with a brick-colored coarse granular material such as crushed slate, or other suitable material. The remaining area of the exposed face, is surfaced with a black or dark colored mineralA (Y) of considerably smaller sized particles than the granular brick colored mineral, and extends over the remaining portion of the strips. Thus, as will be noted from Figure 1, the surfacing material on the exposed face of the strip is divided into two zones of distinctly contrasting colors, with a line of demarcation between the two zones, this line of demarcation lying slightly below the tops of the slots, and being precisely parallel to the lower edge of the strip and to the upper edges of the slots. Preferably thelower or underface of the strip will be surfaced with comminuted or granular material of a character similar to the surfacing (Y).

By the aforedescribed arrangement of the surfacing material on'the exposed face of the strip, the strip when properly applied in overlapping coursesv will present the appearance of a briclswall, by virute of the relatively narrow" lines of dark colored mine eral bordering or surrounding the brick colored tabs on all four sides thereof.

In order that these strips may be rapidly applied and nailed in place with the assurance that the finished surface shall simulate a brick wall with straight, horizontal mortar joints of uniform and unvarying width, the strip is formed with indicating means, located at predetermined positions thereon. These indicating means are preferably located in the head of the strip, near each end thereof so that they will not be visible when the covering is complete and so that the applicator may lay the strips of each course from left to right or vice versa.

As shown, the upper edge of the strip is cut to provide a pair ofnotches or similar indicating means each having one of their edges extending tran sversely as' shown at 20 and 21, adjacent one end of the strip, and another pair of transverse notches with edges 30 and 31 adjacent the other end of the strip. Each of these transverse lines or edges is spaced a predetermined distance from the end of the strip to which it is adjacent. The transverse lines Q0 and 30 are spaced from the left and right hand'sides of the strip respectively, a distance equal to one-half the distance A between the centers of the slot-s 14. The other lines 21 and 31 also are spaced from the left and right hand sides of the strip respectively, a distance C equal to the transverse distance B, which is the depth of tlie'strip measured from the upper limits of the slots 14 to the upper edge 11, plus one half the distance A between the centers of the slots. Cooperating indicating means 22 and 32 are located respectively adjacent each end of the strip and preferably in the head of the strip. Each one of these indicating means 22 and 32, which may comprise a perforation or preformed nail hole, is spaced from the adacent side edge of the strip, a distance equal to one-half the head lap D of the strip. The head lap is the distance measured from the butt edge of the strips when laid to the upper edge of the seoond preceding course, and hence in the strip as laid in accordance with the invention is equal in length to the difference between the transverse width of the strip and twice the depth of the slots 14. These cooperating indicating means are also located at a predetermined distance F from the butt edge 112 of the strip amountingto one-half the head lap D plus the total exposure E. The lower portions of the strips are also formed at their ends with the indentations 17 so proportioned that when the strips are laid side by side on any one course with the side edges of the strips adjacent each other, the indentations will form a slot having the same length and width as the slots 14. As shown, each indentation 17 is equal in length to the slots 14 and has an upper edge 18 whose length is one-half the width of said slots.

The preferred method of applying the siding strips thus constructed Consists in laying in the usual way the first course of strips embodying my invention.

The next succeeding course is applied by taking a strip which is to form a portion of the next succeeding course and holding it against the side wall with its major axis extending in a vertical direction and positioning it so that the side edge 13 of this strip is substantially flush with the upper edge 11 of a strip of the immediately preceding course and the edge 18 of the indentation and the edge 11 of the first mentioned strip are in substantial alignment with/the transverse dedges .2O and 21 respectively. yThis positioning may be accomplished with one4 or both hands. The operator now holds the strip in position by merely pressing one hand on the uppermost end of the strip and with the other hanl A port the strip. The workman now has both hands free, and may then swing the strip about the nail as an axis until the butt edge 12 of the strip is in substantial alignment with the upper edges of the slots in the strips of the preceding course. He then drives a nail through the hole 32, if desired. Nails may then be driven at any other points on the strip as desired.

It is not necessary to have notches describing transverse lines on the strip because when a square butt-shingle strip, such as the one heretofore described, is used, indicating means, such as a line or other similar mark ing, corresponding to the edges 20 or 30, may sufiice as a guide for locating and manipulating the strips during the laying thereof in accordance with the method herein contemplated.

In lieu of perforations herein referred toas constituting the indicating means 22 and 32, any suitable mark on the shingle would serve a llke purpose as long as it is an adequate means for indicating the proper predetermlned nailing point so that when the strip is swung about this point as a center from its initial vertical position. accurate registry of the butt edges of the strips with the upper edges of the slots in the strips of the precedlng course will be ensured. This result-s 1n the necessary precision with respect to uniformity in the horizontal mortar simulating zones of dark color grit appearing between the brick simulating areas. i

Of course it is to be understood that the particular type of shingle used. together with the particular spacing of the 'indicating means 1s given bv way of example and is not intended as any limitation upon the invention bevond what may be required by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: i 1. shingle strip adapted to be laid with its major axis horizontal having pivot indieating means thereon which Vpermits the strip to be held with its maior axis in a vertical direction so that a nail may be driven through the pivot indicating means and the strip swung about the nail as an axis and brought to its final position with the major axis horizontal, and a positioning indicating means thereon for determining the vertical adjustment of a strip when its major axis is in a vertical direction.

2. A shingle strip adapted to be laid with its major axis horizontal having pivot indieating means thereon which permits the strip to be nailed therethrough while the major axis of the'strip is in a vertical direction, so that the strip may be swung about the nail as an axis and brought to its final position with the major axis horizontal and positioning indicating means thereon for determining the horizontal adjustment of the strip when its major axis is in a vertical direction.

3. A shingle strip adapted to be laid with its major axis horizontal having pivot indicating means thereon which permits the strip to be held with its major axis in a verticalV direction, so that a nail may be driven therethrough and the strip swung about this nail as a pivot and brought toits iinal position with the major axis horizc''ntal, positioning indicating means thereon that determine the vertical and horizontal adjustment of the strip when its major axis is in a vertical direction.

4. A shingle strip having two distinct adjoining zones of diierently Acolored surfacing material thereon, with a clear line of demarcation where said zones are contiguous, positioning indicating means thereon for determining the vertical and horizontal adjustment of the strip when its major axis is in a vertical position, and a pivot indicating means thereon which permits the strip to be nailed at the pivot indicating means while the major axis of the strip is in a vertical position and to be then swung about the nail as an axis to its inal position.

5. A shingle strip comprising a body member having a plurality of spaced equi-length slots at its lower end to provide a series of projections or tabs, brick simulating surfacing material covering the area of the tabs to a distance slightly below the upper edges of the slots and a diii'erently colored mate'- rial covering the remaining area of the strip, positioning indicating means on the strip to determine the horizontal and vertical adjustment of the strip when its major axis extends in a vertical direction and a pivot indicating means thereon through which a nail may be driven while the major axis of the strip extends vertically, so that the strip may be swung about the pivot as an axis to a position where the butt edge of the strip will register with the upper edges of the slots.

6. vA shingle strip adapted-to be laid with its major axis horizontal, having a pivot indicating means thereon, aligning means for determining the horizontal and vertical adjustment of the strip while positioned with its major axis vertical, said pivot means belos ing so positioned in relation to said horizon- 8. A shingle strip adapted to be laidv with its major axis horizontal having a pivot indieating means by means of which the strip may be supported in a position with its major axis substantially vertical, means associated with said strip for determining the horizontal and vertical adjustment thereof so that the strip may be nailed at and swung upon said pivot indicating means into nal position.

Signed atBoston in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts this 28th day of November A. D. 1930.

RALPH W. B. READE. 

